Old map to settle border dispute between 2 towns

Provincial Board Member Peter John Calderon yesterday said the ongoing boundary dispute between the Municipalities of Pinamungajan and Aloguinsan may take longer to settle while they find an old map clearly defining the boundaries.

Calderon, who is the chairman of the PB committee on laws and ordinances, said the Spanish Royal Decree they consulted mentioned there was a map that set the boundary between the two towns.

This was the same royal decree that separated Aloguinsan from Pinamungajan in 1886.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has already tasked provincial planning and development head Adolfo Quiroga to search the National Archives in Manila for the map to settle the conflict.

During the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo Midwestern Tour earlier this year, the two local government units could not agree on where to mark their borders.  A banner welcoming the participants was eventually taken down to prevent the escalation of the matter.

The point of contention is the Tutay River, which is supposedly the boundary.  But while Pinamungajan claims part of the river has dried up, Aloguinsan said that allegedly “dried up” area was never part of the river in the first place.

Garcia has initiated meetings with mayors Cynthia Moreno of Aloguinsan and Geraldine Yapha of Pinamungajan.

Capitol consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda said if the map will still not yield answers on the boundaries, the two towns should just divide the area constituting the Tutay River.

Identification of territories is significant, Sepulveda said, because this is part in computing the towns’ share in the Internal Revenue Allotment. Aside from monetary purposes, the matter will also affect the voters’ list.  —Garry B. Lao/BRP